Cortes Gerais


The Cortes Gerais were the legislature of the Kingdom of Portugal during the Constitutional Monarchy period. The Cortes were established by provision of the 1822 Portuguese Constitution as a unicameral parliament. However, the Constitutional Charter of 1826 reformed the Cortes as a bicameral legislature, with the Chamber of Most Worthy Peers of the Kingdom as its upper house and the Chamber of Gentlemen Deputies of the Portuguese Nation as its lower house.
The name of the legislature originates from the traditional Portuguese Cortes, the parliament convening the three estates during the absolute monarchy.
while the Chamber of Most Worthy Peers was in session; 1860.